


Shaving

by fylkzahdeya



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 22:29:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15374763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fylkzahdeya/pseuds/fylkzahdeya
Summary: It's not easy to relearn things after losing your sight. Friends do ease the burden, though.





	Shaving

“...Well. I suppose it had to happen sometime.”

Break sat in front of the stand in his room, a washbasin perched on its top and a small razor in his palm. He stared at the blurry almost-outline of the razor as he rubbed his chin, which had grown hair to a length that could no longer be ignored and needed to be dealt with posthaste, lest he should turn into some sort of albino Oscar Vessalius wannabe.

Shaving hadn’t posed so much problem as it did at this point, as he’d had a couple dozen years of experience and thus could get it done quickly and cleanly, thank you. But then, he’d also had functioning vision and a mirror to catch his mistakes. Without those, he’d have to do it by memory, and Break wasn’t quite confident enough in his almost complete lack of eyesight yet to be willing to hold sharp objects near his face for an extended period of time.

Alas, it was necessary at this point, so it was time to learn.

Break held the razor up to the side of his face, angling it close to the skin, but not too close. He mentally gauged the position of it, making sure he wasn’t about to stab himself. 

He took a small, careful pass. It didn’t do much, but it took a couple of hairs with it. Break took a slightly bolder swipe at the stubble, hoping to make the process a bit quicker. Coming out clean and with more confidence, he started a short series of strokes, not too fast, but enough that it wouldn’t take an hour to do. It went fine, until-

“Shit-!”

Pain sliced through his jaw as he miscalculated and stuck himself with the blade. Cursing, Break splashed the razor blade into the washbasin a bit, rinsing the blood he assumed he had drawn off of it. So much for not wasting half his day.

Break resumed shaving, going slightly slower and checking his blade (almost) before every stroke to make sure he wouldn’t mince his face. It was a bit annoying to be suddenly demoted back to teenage levels of inexperience after these years, and he hoped no one would note his mistakes if and when they noticed them.

It wasn’t long until he made another stray swipe and broke his skin, and had to wash his razor and his face as well for good measure. Yes, Reim and Sharon would surely be seeing this.

His hand was halfway up to his face when he heard a knock on the door. Break groaned internally. Just what he needed. He weighed his options, wondering if it would be best to just pretend he wasn’t in, when he heard the door open and someone walk in.

“Xerxes, it’s me.”

Break turned to face the intruder, painting on a fake grin as he went.

“Reim! What a surprise. I didn’t know you were going to stop by today,” he chirped, knowing exactly what he looked like at that moment and wondering how Reim would react to it.

Reim was silent for a moment. Then he said, “Are you… shaving?”

“Yes, I’m actually indisposed at the moment, sorry,” Break pulled his smile into an apologetic one. “I assume you have urgent business, as you didn’t bother to wait for me to answer before you so rudely barged into my room?” Perhaps admonishing him would do something beneficial.

He heard a quiet rustle of clothes, probably Reim shifting into an exasperated position. “You’re going to destroy your face like that,” he said. “You really thought this was a good idea?”

Break shrugged. “Believe it or not, I am actually a grown man who can do his own shaving,” he said pointedly.

Huffing, Reim started to stride towards him. “You’re also a grown man who can ask for help when you need it, instead of doing whatever you’re doing right now,” he countered. “Xerxes, you’re going to peel your skin off like that.”

“Nonsense,” Break laughed, tucking the razor closer to his chest protectively. “I’m no good at peeling anything, even when I can see. You give me far too much credit, Reim.”

“You know what I mean,” Reim said, darting at him and prying the razor from his grasp, eliciting a small yelp of protest as Break fumbled to take back his stolen property.

“Honestly, Reim,” Break pouted, as Reim pulled up another chair. “I can do this myself, you know.”

He heard Reim sit down in front of him. Break faced him and tried to keep his irritation off of his face.

He was sitting closely enough now that he could see Reim wipe the razor off with a spare cloth as he said firmly, “I’m not going to watch as you cut yourself to pieces. You’ll just have to deal with this for now.”

Break sat and let his frustration simmer as Reim held the blade to his face and started to work. It was certainly faster than what he’d been doing before, but it wouldn’t make it feel any less patronizing.

After a minute, Break said, “You really don’t have to do this.”

“I want to do this, Xerx,” Reim said, hand not slowing in its confident sweeps. “If you weren’t a moron, you’d see that.” There was no contempt in his words, only a mild weariness.

Break huffed. “Well, my apologies for being useless. I suppose blindness only adds onto that, hm?”

Reim paused for just a moment, before resuming his work. “I didn’t say that and you know it. I only meant that you’re astoundingly dense when it comes to people, especially when otherwise you’re the first to know almost anything.”

“I’ll bet you still don’t want to be taking care of a blind man, though,” Break pointed out cheekily. “It’s ok to let me be an incompetent bastard just this once.”

Reim fully stopped this time, taking his hands away from Break’s face. “Xerxes. I’m telling you this as your friend,” he began.

Break focused on Reim’s face as he took a deep breath.

“You are a complete and utter moron who can’t understand that I’m just offering you my help,” Reim declared. “I want to do this. It has nothing to do with whether or not you’re capable enough, because the fact is that I can’t stand here and see you struggle your way through this by yourself when I could be there taking some of the burden off of your shoulders. I know it’s not easy getting used to this, and I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Break blinked. He’d just been trying to shave, and now a lecture? He just wanted to dice his skin in peace. “It’s really not that hard, Reim. I think you may be overstating things,” he protested.

“Bullshit!” Reim snapped. “You’re the one overstating. Even someone of your skill wouldn’t be able to adapt just like that. I know you want to be a lone wolf, but for God’s sake, when people want to help, let them! We’re not just doing it for you, we do it because we want to. So please, just let me do this one thing for you.”

Break was speechless for a few moments, attempting to collect his thoughts after that rant blew most of them from his head. He wondered when it had gone from just being Reim to talking about the people around him in general. And how many times this thought had gone through his, through all of their heads.

And then he decided… it might… not be so bad, to let it happen just this once.

“Fine,” Break sighed, waving a hand. “If you’ve got your heart set on it, then shave to your heart’s content. Don’t let me stop you.”

Reim held the razor back up to his face, resuming where he left off. He’d gotten a few strokes in before Break heard a soft, “Thank you.”

Reim finished up shaving Break’s face in silence. Then, placing the razor back on the stand and moving to leave, he said, “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me.”

“Yes, yes,” Break dismissed him. “I’m sure all my paperwork will be keeping you busy anyway. Have fun!” He gave Reim a genial smile.

Reim grunted. “Honestly…” Break heard the squeaking of glasses being cleaned. “I think you’re glad to have an excuse not to do it anymore.”

“Of course! That means you can fulfill your dream of sleeping, eating, and breathing your work. You’ll become the ultimate clerk,” Break teased. “Maybe soon your only function will become writing reports.”

“Xerxes!”

“Go on, off with you,” Break shooed him to the door. “You’ve done a lovely job with my face, I’m sure. I’ll show it off to everyone I meet,” he assured Reim as he opened it.

Reim made an annoyed sound at being pushed out of the room, but didn’t resist. “See you later, Xerx,” he said as he stepped into the hallway. “Don’t forget what I said.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve forgotten it already,” Break laughed, closing the door on Reim. He wished he could’ve seen the look on his face as he did so, but such is life.

He flopped onto his bed, something like gratitude mixing with his frustration as he laid his arm over his newly shaven face. That hadn't been as bad as he'd expected. It was... almost kind of nice, actually. To have someone there for you like that.

Break was glad no one heard as he muttered a quiet, “Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes ya just gotta write out the thoughts you have when youre ass deep in your job and spacing the hell out amirite


End file.
